Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WEAR ASSEMBLY
Related Application Data
[0001] This application claims priority benefits based on U.S. Provisional
Patent Appin. No.
61/563,448, filed November 23, 2011 and entitled "Wear Assembly," and U.S.
Provisional
Patent Appin. No. 61/720,928, filed October 31, 2012 and entitled "Wear
Assembly."
Field of the Disclosure
[0002] This disclosure pertains to wear assemblies for ground-engaging
equipment, and to the
wear members, bases and locks of the wear assemblies.
Background of the Disclosure
[0003] Excavating equipment, such as excavating buckets, cutterheads, and
the like, are used for
demolition, mining, earth moving, and other similarly harsh applications. To
protect the
equipment from wear and/or to enhance the operation of the equipment, wear
parts may
be attached to the excavating equipment. Such wear parts may include points,
adapters,
shrouds, runners, and the like.
[0004] Such wear parts are commonly subjected to harsh conditions, heavy
loading, and extreme
abrasion. Accordingly, the wear parts wear down over time and must be
replaced, often
in the field and under less than ideal conditions.
[0005] It is common for a lock to be used to releasably secure a wear
member to a base. To do
so, the lock must therefore satisfy several seemingly contradictory
requirements. The lock
must secure the wear member to the base with sufficient strength and stability
to avoid
failure during operation. At the same time, the lock must facilitate release
and replacement
of the wear member by field personnel, under field conditions.
[0006] Examples of wear parts and their retaining devices are disclosed in
U.S. Patent Nos.
US5709043, US6735890, US6871426, US6986216, US6993861, US7121022,
US7367144, and US7882649; and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. US20110107624.
Summary of the Disclosure
[0007] Aspects of this invention relate to wear members for wear
assemblies for
ground-engaging equipment. Aspects of this invention also include a wear
member and
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Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
lock combined as a single integral component, i.e., the wear member includes a
wearable
body and a lock joined together. Aspects of this invention also relate to the
locks, wear
members (e.g., points, adapters, shrouds, etc.) and the bases individually.
[0008] The locks in accordance with at least some examples of this
invention will have two
engagement positions with respect to the wear member: A first engagement
position, or
shipping position, that secures the lock to the wear member, and a second
engagement
position, or installed position, that can secure the wear member to a base. A
wear member
with certain embodiments of the lock held in the shipping position ships
"ready to install."
Such a wear member may be installed onto a base with the lock still in the
shipping
position. No movement of the lock from the shipping position is required to
initiate the
install procedure. Furthermore, the lock need not be removed from the wear
member to
install the wear member onto a base or to remove the wear member from a base.
[0009] Locks according to examples of this invention further are configured
to be unlatched and
removed from the wear member in two phases, including a first phase with
retraction of
the latching mechanism (e.g., at least partially into the body of the lock),
followed by a
second phase with rotation of the lock itself away from the wear member to
allow removal
of a wear member from a base.
[0010] Wear members for ground-engaging equipment (e.g., excavating
equipment) according to
some examples of this invention include a mounting portion for engaging a base
of the
equipment (for mounting the wear member to the equipment), the mounting
portion having
a first leg and a second leg opposite the first leg spaced apart to receive
the base. The first
leg of this example structure includes a first rail and a second rail
extending rearward
toward a rear edge of the first leg, the first and second rails each having an
outer side
surface to bear against complementary surfaces on the base. The first and
second rails
may axially converge in a direction toward the rear edge. Such wear members
further may
include a hole for receiving a lock through one of their legs (e.g., between
the rails), a lock
access recess that extends from the hole to one of the sides of the leg, and
optionally, a
lock engaged at the hole. Optionally, the lock access recess may extend over
one of the
rails.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2023-04-12
100111 Wear members (e.g., shrouds, points, adapters, runners, etc.) in
accordance with some
aspects of this invention include a mounting portion for engaging a base of
the equipment
for mounting the wear member to the equipment. The mounting portion of this
example
structure has an interior surface facing the base and an exterior surface, and
the mounting
end defines a lock receiving area including a hole extending through the
mounting end
from the exterior surface to the interior surface. This hole has a rear wall
with a support
projecting inwardly into the hole for a lock to engage and swing inward to
engage the base
and hold the wear member to the equipment and swing outward to release the
base and
permit release of the wear member from the equipment. The support may be
located
adjacent the interior surface of the wear member and spaced from its exterior
surface, and
the support may extend partially or completely along the rear wall of the hole
(the support
also may extend along the rear wall of the hole for a greater distance than it
extends into
the hole or away from the rear wall). The front wall of the hole (located
opposite the rear
wall) of this example structure has an outer portion extending from the
exterior surface
and an inner portion &liming a pocket (e.g., an undercut) recessed forwardly
into the wear
member with respect to the outer portion and extending to the interior surface
for receiving
a latch portion of the lock to retain the lock in the inwardly swung position.
Such wear
members further may include a lock engaged with the wear member, and
optionally, this
combination wear member and lock may be mounted to an equipment base to
provide a
wear assembly.
[0012] Wear members in accordance with at least some examples of this
invention will include a
lock access recess in their exterior surface that extends away from the lock
mounting hole
generally in a direction between front and rear walls of the hole (e.g.,
sideways from the
hole). For some wear members, the hole and lock access recess may be provided
in a side
wall of the wear member, and for other wear members, the hole and lock access
recess
may be provided in a top wall or leg of the wear member.
[0013] Wear members according to still additional aspects of this invention
may include a
mounting portion for engaging a base of the equipment (for mounting the wear
member to
the equipment), the mounting portion having an internal surface facing the
base and an
opposite external surface, a hole extending through the mounting portion from
the external
surface to the internal surface, and a lock integrally mounted in the hole for
movement
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Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
between a locked position where the lock is positioned to contact the base to
hold the wear
member to the equipment and a release position where the lock is positioned to
release the
base. This example lock has a lock body, a rotating actuating member, and a
latch member
movable between a first position to engage the wear member to hold the lock
alternatively
in the locked and release positions, and a second position retracted from the
first position.
If desired, in at least some example structures according to this invention,
the latch member
may engage the wear member even in the second (retracted) position,
particularly when
the parts are relatively new and/or unworn. e.g., so that the lock does not
come out of the
wear member. Optionally, such locks further may include a resilient member or
other
structure to bias the latch member to the first position.
100141 Additional aspects of this invention relate to locks for securing a
wear member to
equipment (e.g., for securing wear members of the types described above). Such
locks
may include: a lock body including a front bearing surface for contacting a
base on the
equipment and a rearwardly -opening recess for receiving a complementary
support in a
hole of the wear member; an actuator member movably coupled to the lock body;
a latch
member movably coupled with the actuator member and the lock body such that
movement
of the actuator member relative to the lock body moves the latch member
between a latched
position in which a portion of the latch member extends outward (e.g., from a
side of the
lock body) in a direction to contact the wear member and an unlatched position
in which
the latch member is retracted relative to the latched position; and,
optionally, a biasing
member for biasing the latch member toward the latched position.
100151 Locks according to still other aspects of this invention may
include: a lock body having a
bearing surface on one end for contacting the base to hold the wear member to
the
equipment, and a recess at an opposite end to receive a support on the wear
member about
which the lock body will turn between a locked position where the bearing
surface will
contact the base and a release position where the bearing surface will release
the base; a
latch member movably coupled to the lock body to move between a first position
where
the latch member contacts the wear member and a second position where the
latch member
is retracted relative to the first position to disengage the wear member; an
actuating
member rotatably coupled to the lock body and movably coupled to the latch
member such
that initial rotation of the actuating member moves the latch member relative
to the lock
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Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
body and further rotation of the actuating member moves the lock body about
the support
on the wear member; and optionally, a biasing member, such as a resilient
member, to bias
the latch member to the first position.
[0016] In locks of the various types described above, the actuator member
may rotate in the lock
body on a first axis, and the latch member may be pivotable about a second
axis between
the latched and unlatched positions. These two axes may be parallel and non-
aligned in
some embodiments, and they may be non-parallel in other embodiments. When non-
parallel, the first axis may diverge from the second axis at an angle from 00
to 450 as
measured in a plane to which both axes are projected (and in some examples, at
an angle
from 5 to 35 ). The actuator member may have a tool interface and a cam for
engaging
the latch member and translating motion of the actuator member to the latch
member for
moving the latch member between the latched and unlatched positions.
[0017] The advantages of the locks and wear assemblies of the present
disclosure will be more
readily understood after considering the drawings and the Detailed
Description.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0018] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wear assembly including a wear
member and a lock
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lock of Fig. 1.
[0020] Figs. 3A-3C show the lock of Fig. 1 in perspective, plan, and side
elevation views,
respectively.
[0021] Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the lock of Fig. 1.
[0022] Figs. 5A and 5B are right perspective and plan views of a lock body
for the lock of Fig. 1,
where the lock body is semi-transparent.
[0023] Figs. 6A-6C are side elevation, right perspective, and top
perspective views, respectively,
of an actuator member for the lock of Fig 1.
[0024] Figs. 7A-7C are left perspective, right perspective, and plan views,
respectively, of a latch
member for the lock of Fig. 1.
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
[0025] Figs. 8A and 8B are left and right perspective views of the lock of
Fig. 1, respectively,
where selected lock components are semi-transparent.
[0026] Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a
combined actuator member
and latch member according to the invention.
[0027] Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the lock and wear member of
Fig. 1, in combination
with a base, but showing the lock at initial insertion of the lock into the
wear member.
[0028] Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the lock of Fig. 10, either after
removal from the wear member,
or prior to insertion of the lock into the wear member while in a latched
configuration.
[0029] Fig. 11A is a plan view showing a lock according to the alternative
embodiment of Fig. 9,
with a different cam configuration from what is shown in Fig. 11, with both
cam
configurations of Figs. 11 and 11A shown in dashed lines.
[0030] Fig. 12 is a partial cross-sectional view of the lock and wear
member of Fig. 10, in
combination with a base, the lock being in a shipping position, with the cross-
sectional
view taken along the plane indicated by line 12-12 in Fig. 1.
[0031] Fig. 13 is a partial plan view of the lock and wear member of Figs.
10 and 12, in an installed
configuration, to fully retain the lock and the corresponding wear member, in
place on the
base.
[0032] Fig. 14 is a cross-section view of the lock and wear member of Fig.
13.
[0033] Fig. 15 is a partial plan view of the lock and wear member of Fig.
11 in an unlatched
configuration, with retraction of a latching mechanism, but with the lock in a
position that
retains the wear member on the base.
[0034] Fig. 16 is a cross-section view of the lock and wear member of Fig.
15 along a slightly
higher plane from that shown in Fig. 12.
[0035] Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the wear assembly of Fig. 1
adjacent to a base according
to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the wear member and lock of Fig. 1,
showing the lock in
the shipping position.
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Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
[0037] Fig. 19 is a right elevation view of the wear member and lock of
Fig. 1, showing the lock
in the installed position.
[0038] Fig. 20 is a perspective view of the wear member and lock of Fig. 1,
showing the lock in
the installed position.
[0039] Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the wear assembly of Fig. 1,
including the wear member
and lock of Fig. 2, coupled to a base according to another embodiment of the
present
invention.
[0040] Fig. 22 is a partial perspective view of the lock of Fig. 1 in the
latched configuration, and
in the installed position, in association with the base of Fig. 10.
[0041] Fig. 23 is a partial plan view of the lock and base of Fig. 21 in
combination with the wear
member of Fig. 10 shown in broken lines.
[0042] Fig. 24 is a partial plan view of the lock of Fig. 22 in the latched
configuration, and in the
installed position, in association with the base of Fig. 10.
[0043] Fig. 25 is a partial perspective view of a horizontal section of the
lock and wear member
of Fig. 1.
[0044] Figs. 26A and 26B are perspective views of another example lock in
accordance with this
invention in a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration,
respectively. Fig. 26C
is a top view and Fig. 26D is a side elevation view of this example lock. Fig.
26E illustrates
the interaction between the actuator member and latch member of this example
lock. Fig.
26F is a bottom view of the actuator member of this example lock. Fig. 26G is
an exploded
view of this example lock. Fig. 26H is a front elevation view of this example
lock_
[0045] Fig. 27 is a perspective view showing the lock of Figs. 26A through
26H mounted to a
point and base.
[0046] Fig. 28A is a perspective view of a shroud type wear member engaged
with a base using a
lock of the type shown in Figs. 26A through 26H. Fig. 28B is a cross sectional
view along
lines 28B-28B of Fig. 28A. Figs. 28C through 28E show top, cross section, and
bottom
views, respectively, of this example shroud and its lock recess area.
[0047] Fig. 29A is a perspective view of another shroud type wear member
engaged with a base
member using a lock of the type shown in Figs. 26A through 26H. Fig. 29B is a
cross
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Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
sectional view along lines 29B-29B of Fig. 29A. Figs. 29C and 29D show top and
bottom
views, respectively, of this example shroud and its lock recess area and boss
engagement
area. Figs. 29E and 29F illustrate engagement of this shroud with other wear
assembly
equipment.
Detailed Description of the Disclosure
[0048] The present invention pertains to a wear assembly for ground-
engaging equipment. This
application includes examples of the invention in the form of an excavating
tooth and a
shroud. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited to these examples. For
instance, aspects
of the invention can be used in regard to other kinds of wear parts such as
intermediate
adapters and runners. Although the application describes wear assemblies in
connection
with excavating buckets, aspects of the invention can be used for attaching
wear members
to other ground-engaging equipment such as dredge cutter heads, chutes, truck
bodies, etc.
The terms "top" and "bottom" are generally considered interchangeable since
the teeth can
typically assume various orientations when attached to earthmoving equipment.
The
"front" and "rear" of the wear parts are considered in the context of the
primary direction
of movement of earthen material relative to the wear part. For example, in
regard to a
point of a tooth system, the front is the narrowed edge of the point because
the primary
motion of the earthen material relative to the point is from this narrowed
edge "rearward"
toward the base-receiving cavity in an ordinary digging operation.
[0049] An example wear assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the
present invention is
shown in Fig. 1. The wear assembly 10 includes a wear member 12 and a lock 14
associated with wear member 12. As will be discussed in greater detail below,
lock 14
may be physically coupled to wear member 12, and when so coupled may nest
within a
lock recess 16 having a shape that is defined by wear member 12 and that is
complementary to the shape of the lock 14. This nesting of lock 14 within lock
recess 16
tends to shield the lock from wear.
[0050] In one embodiment of the invention, a wear assembly 10 composed of
the combined wear
member 12 and lock 14 may be sold, shipped, stored, and/or installed as a
single unit. In
this embodiment, wear member 12 has a working portion 12A in the form of a
narrowed
front edge 12B to penetrate the ground during digging, and a mounting portion
12C with
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Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
a rearwardly-opening cavity for receiving a base. The mounting portion 12C has
a lock
receiving area 16 structured to receive and cooperate with a lock that is
adapted to
releasably secure the wear member to the base.
[0051] A latching mechanism holds lock 14 in place within wear member 12
and preferably
prevents the lock 14 from disengaging from the wear member 12 and/or from
being lost
or misplaced during shipment, storage and installation of wear member 12. In
another
embodiment of the invention, the use of a single integral wear member and lock
also
reduces the number of parts to be held in an inventory. The latching mechanism
holds
lock 14 in place within wear member 12, permitting shipment and storage of
wear member
12, and to additionally permit the wear member 12 to be installed upon an
appropriate
base, preferably without first moving or removing the lock 14. For example, in
some
embodiments, lock 14 is preferably held to wear member 12 in a first position
so that lock
14 does not obstruct installation of wear member 12 onto a base. In other
embodiments,
or in certain situations where lock 14 has moved during shipment within a lock
recess 16,
the latching mechanism allows lock 14 to move relative to wear member 12,
without
falling out of wear member 12. In these embodiments and situations, lock 14
preferably
moves easily relative to wear member 12, during installation onto a base.
[0052] When wear member 12 with lock 14 in place is put into service, lock
14 is readily fully
installed by a further rotation of a portion of lock 14, as discussed in
detail below, to fully
install and retain lock 14 and the corresponding wear member 12 in place on
excavating
equipment, not shown.
[0053] An example lock 14 is shown in Fig. 2, Figs. 3A-3C, and also in
exploded view in Fig. 4.
As can be appreciated by viewing Fig. 4, lock 14 includes a lock body 18, an
actuating
member 20, a latch member 22, and a resilient body 24. Resilient body 24
biases latch
member 22 relative to lock body 18, which tends to keep latch member 22 in a
latched
position.
[0054] In a preferred construction, lock body 18, which is preferably of
unitary construction,
provides a mount and housing for the actuating member 20, latch member 22, and
resilient
body 24 which, when considered in combination, make up a latch mechanism 26 of
the
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Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
lock 14. Lock body 18 is shown in Figs 5A and 5B, where certain internal
structures of
lock body 18 are shown in broken lines.
[0055] As shown in Fig. 4 and Figs. 6A-6C, actuating member 20 is received
within a
corresponding recess 18R in lock body 18. Actuating member 20 is generally
cylindrical
in form, and is configured to rotate in place. An upper surface of actuating
member 20
may incorporate a tool interface 28 for engaging with an appropriate tool 30
so that the
actuating member 20 may be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise. Typically,
tool 30
includes an extended handle, that is, a handle having adequate length so that
a user can
apply sufficient torque to the actuating member 20 to rotate the actuating
member 20.
[0056] For example, actuating member 20 is shown with a tool interface 28
in the form of a
hexagonal socket. Actuating member 20 may therefore be rotated using a tool 30
incorporating a hex key, as shown in Fig. 1. However, any similarly effective
interface
may be used to facilitate rotating of the actuating member, such as a tool
interface having
a projecting hexagonal head with a tool that incorporates an open-ended or
socket hex
wrench, or a hole that opens in a side of the actuating member, to receive a
rod or pry bar,
among others. A pair of holes 21 for receiving a tool for rotating the
actuating member 20
at the actuating member 20 side is shown as dashed lines in Fig. 2. Similarly,
other types
of tools may be used, such as an impact wrench or other types of rotary
devices.
[0057] The head of the actuating member 20 preferably includes a tab 32.
One visual benefit of
the tab 32 is to indicate to a user whether the actuating member 20, and
therefore the latch
mechanism, is in the latched position, unlatched position, or some
intermediate position.
When in the orientation shown in Figs. 3A-3C, tab 32 will be to the left or
clockwise side
of lock recess 16 when the latch mechanism is latched, and tab 32 will be to
the right or
counter-clockwise side of lock recess 16 when the latch mechanism is
unlatched. The tab
32 also serves to limit the extent of rotation permitted to the actuating
member 20, as the
tab 32 prevents the actuating member 20 from being rotated beyond the point
that the tab
32 contacts a left stop 34 or a right stop 35 defined by the lock body 18.
When the latch
mechanism is in a latched configuration, actuating member 20 is rotated
clockwise (as
seen from above) until tab 32 rests against (or immediately adjacent) left
stop 34. In this
position, latch member 22 is resting against (or immediately adjacent) left
stop 44.
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
[0058] Applying additional torque to actuating member 20, when tab 32 has
contacted either left
stop 34 or right stop 35 (or through other parts of the lock), transfers this
torque to lock
body 18. This transferred torque may create a rotation of lock body 18
relative to wear
member 12. For example, clockwise movement of a tool 30 will rotate actuating
member
20 clockwise, and then pivot lock body 18 clockwise to move the lock 14 into
an installed
position. Counterclockwise movement of a tool 30 will rotate actuating member
20
counterclockwise, and then pivot lock body 18 counterclockwise so that the
lock 14 is
removed in two phases. As described in more detail below, these two phases
include: (1)
rotation of actuating member 20 about an actuating axis of rotation (axis A)
to cause a first
retraction of the latching mechanism as the latching mechanism rotates about a
latching
axis of rotation (axis B), followed by (2) a rotation of lock 14 itself
generally about a
locking axis of rotation (axis C) ¨though the movement of lock body 18 is
preferably not
strictly a pivotal movement.
[0059] It is believed that unlatching the lock in two phases is
particularly helpful when the latching
mechanism has been contaminated with grit and fines (e.g., dirt and other
debris that gets
into the lock 14 and lock recess 16 during use of the equipment). In
particular, a substantial
portion (i.e., the initial portion) of the rotation in a counter-clockwise
rotation results only
in retraction of the latching mechanism, so substantial leverage is created
over a very small
movement of the latching mechanism. It is believed that this tends to free or
breakup fines
that might have been compacted and solidified within the latching mechanism
during use
in extreme conditions. Once the first phase of rotation is completed, with
initial break up
or loosening of any fines, further rotation results in movement of the entire
lock.
[0060] The underside of actuating member 20 includes a cam 36, projecting
downward from the
underside of the actuating member, and offset from an actuating axis of
rotation A of
actuating member 20 (see Figs. 2 and 4). The camming action of cam 36 is
provided by
the offset of cam 36 relative to axis of rotation A of actuating member 20.
The offset cam
36 may be helpful in clearing any accumulated grit or fines from the latch
mechanism as
actuating member 20 is rotated. Other embodiments, not shown, may include a
cam
recessed into or projecting from other surfaces of the actuating member.
[0061] The cam 36 preferably includes a planar lower face 37. The cam 36
may additionally
include a flange 38 that projects horizontally from the lower edge of cam 36.
Although
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Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
the shape and surface formation of the cam may vary, cam 36 is preferably
(largely)
circular in cross-section, as is the flange 38. Where the offset of cam 36
would otherwise
result in the flange 38 projecting beyond the circumference of the cylinder of
actuating
member 20, that portion of flange 38 is truncated to substantially align with
and match the
curvature of the actuating member 20, resulting in cam edge surface 42. The
cam 36 also
may be somewhat D-shaped or hemi-cylindrical shaped (e.g., with a flattened
edge) in
some constructions.
[0062] As tab 32 of actuating member 20 is moved between the limits defined
by left stop 34 and
right stop 35, cam 36 of the actuating member acts upon latch member 22 to
pivot the latch
member about latching axis of rotation B between a latched configuration and
an unlatched
configuration.
[0063] In the latched configuration, shown in Fig. 2, with tab 32 against
stop 34, latch member
22 is urged by resilient body 24 against a left latch stop wall 44 in lock
body 18, shown
best in Fig. 4. The latch 22 may be stopped by engagement with cam 36 rather
than by
stop wall 44. A right latch stop wall 46 is also shown in Fig. 4, but this
does not need to
function as a stop as movement may be caused by contact of tab 32 against stop
35 or full
compression of the resilient body 24. By rotating actuating member 20
counterclockwise,
cam 36 urges latch member 22 against resilient body 24, and thereby pivots
latch member
22 around latching axis B, which is offset from actuating axis of rotation A.
Continued
rotation of actuating member 20 will continue to pivot latch member 22 around
latching
axis B, with an accompanying compression of resilient body 24, until tab 32 of
actuating
member 20 contacts stop 35 (see Fig. 4).
[0064] In a preferred construction, latch 22 tapers to a narrowed, rounded
end 22A (Figs. 7A-7C)
that fits within a complementary notch 18N (Fig. 5B) to form a fulcrum or
pivotal mount.
Latch member 22 may optionally include a vertically-oriented through-hole
through which
may pass a pin that serves to anchor latch member 22 to lock body 18. Where
such a pin
is present, the pin is preferably coincident with latching axis of rotation B
and serves as a
pivot point for latch member 22. Other structures also may be used to assure
and facilitate
rotation of latch member 22 about latching axis of rotation B.
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Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
[0065] As shown in Figs. 7A-7C, latch member 22 includes a planar surface
47 that faces the
lower cam face 37 of cam 36. Planar surface 47 is bounded on one side by a
side wall 48
(optionally a vertical wall), where the side wall 48 is configured to be
pushed by cam 36.
The lock 14 may incorporate one or more features to assist in retaining the
actuating
member 20. Actuating member 20 should be rotatable, but actuating member 20
should
not be removable, separate from lock 14. For example, cam 36 may include a
flange 38,
and side wall 48 may include an upper shelf 49 that defines a horizontal
channel 50 along
side wall 48. Horizontal channel 50 may be configured to mate with flange 38
of cam 36
so that the actuating member 20 is retained in the lock 14 and is prevented
from moving
in the vertical direction (i.e., on account of the bias of resilient body 24).
Other retention
methods for the various elements may be used, but are not shown, such as a
roll pin or
spring pin forced through one or more holes in latch member 22 that might
interface with
a portion of lock body 18 or a roll pin going through the lock body 18 that
might interface
with a groove in actuating member 20.
[0066] Figs. 8A and 8B show actuating member 20, latch member 22, and
resilient body 24
assembled within lock body 18. Referring collectively to Figs. 6B, 7A, 8A, and
8B, the
lower face 37 of cam 36 is adjacent planar surface 47, and flange 38 of cam 36
engages
horizontal channel 50, if present.
[0067] In an alternative embodiment, depicted in Fig. 9, an actuating
member 51 may include cam
52 that shares an axis of rotation of the actuating member 51, where the cam
52 has a
substantially hemi-cylindrical cross-section. The latch mechanism is
configured so that
the resulting flat vertical cam face 52f of cam 52 (see Fig. 11A) contacts a
vertical wall 53
of a latch member 54. As in the previous embodiment, rotation of the actuating
member
51 results in cam 52 urging latch member 54 against a resilient body (e.g.,
body 24).
[0068] Returning attention to Figs. 7A-7C, latch member 22 includes an
engagement surface 55
and a latch tooth 56, with latch member 22 configured so that when latch
member 22
contacts or is adjacent to left latch stopwall 44, both engagement surface 55
and latch tooth
56 extends outward (e.g., from a side of the lock body 18) in a direction to
contact a wear
member, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3A. However, by rotating actuating member 20
approximately 75-degrees in a counter-clockwise direction about actuating axis
of rotation
A (using an appropriate tool 30), the eccentric rotation of offset cam 36
results in cam 36
13
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
urging latch member 22 inward against resilient body 24, thereby compressing
resilient
body 24 and simultaneously retracting engagement surface 55 and latch tooth 56
inward
toward lock body 18 (at least retracted sufficiently from its outward
extension to permit
the desired operations).
[0069] Resilient body 24 is typically sufficiently yielding to permit latch
member 22 to be
depressed against the resilient body when actuating member 20 is rotated into
the
unlatched configuration. However, resilient body 24 may be selected to have
greater or
lesser degrees of resilience, such that even when actuating member 20 remains
in the
latched configuration, urging the lock body 18 into position in lock recess 16
results in
latch member 22 becoming depressed against the resilient body 24. In this way,
lock body
18 may be urged into position in lock recess 16 of wear member 12 while the
lock 14
remains latched, for example by pivoting the lock 14 into position with tool
30.
[0070] For example, when a new wear member 12 is ready for shipment, a new
lock 14 may be
placed into lock recess 16, as shown in Fig. 10. A tool 30 of the type shown
in Fig. 1 is
then placed into tool interface 28, and rotated clockwise as indicated in Fig.
11 by an
arcuate arrow. This forces lock 14 into a first or release position, as shown
in Fig. 12. The
latch 22 retracts against resilient body 24 when lock 14 is moved from the
uninstalled
condition to (and through the installing position shown in Fig. 10) to the
first or initial
installed position. Lock 14 will be then retained securely within wear member
12 in this
position for shipping and/or storage. More specifically, resilient body 24
exerts sufficient
force on latch member 22 such that when the lock 14 is in the first position,
it becomes
difficult to move lock 14 relative to wear member 12; i.e., latch 22 is
pressed against corner
surface 65 of support 64 to resist inward movement of lock 14, and tooth 56
presses against
the recess curve 71 to resist outward movement of lock 14. The lock 14 is not
typically
moved without the use of an appropriate tool or other significant external
force.
[0071] Furthermore, the presence of lock 14 in the first position does not
interfere with installing
the wear member 12 onto an appropriate base. Note that such a base 58 is shown
in Fig.
10. However, the base 58 is not needed in order to put or hold lock 14 in the
first position,
and is shown in Fig. 10 for reference in other portions of this description.
14
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
[0072] Lock 14 is configured to secure a wear member 12 to a base 58 when
the lock 14 is pivoted
from the first or release position of Fig. 12 to the second or locked
position, as shown in
Figs. 13 and 14. Base 58 may be an integral portion of a piece of excavating
equipment
(or other ground-engaging equipment), or base 58 may be attached to such
equipment (e.g.,
an adapter), such as by welding or other mechanical attachment. A suitable
base 58 is
shaped generally to accept the wear member 12 securely, and includes an
opening or notch
60 that is sized and adapted to receive at least a portion of lock body 18
when the lock is
moved to the second or locked position (e.g., when the lock body is fully
inserted into lock
recess 16).
[0073] Lock 14 preferably includes a coupling structure or anchor feature
62 that is configured to
cooperate with a complementary support feature 64 formed in the proximal wall
of lock
recess 16. Anchor 62 and support 64 are configured so that lock 14 can be
seated by the
interaction of anchor 62 with complementary support 64, and lock 14 then may
be swung
into lock recess 16 generally around locking axis of rotation C (shown in Fig.
2) in order
to move the lock body 18 into base notch 60, as shown best in Fig. 14. The
anchor 62 and
support 64 preferably are configured to facilitate a rotation of the lock 14
around axis C.
For example, in one embodiment of the invention as shown, anchor 62
corresponds to a
slot that interacts with a support 64 corresponding to a vertical ridge formed
in the
proximal wall of the lock recess 16 (see Figures 10 and 12). Although not
preferred, the
slot could be formed on the wear member and the ridge on the lock.
[0074] When properly positioned, a front or distal face 66 of lock body 18
opposes a
complementary resisting surface 68 of opening 60, and a force that would
otherwise urge
the wear member 12 outward and remove it from the base 58 results in contact
between
distal face 66 and resisting surface 68, effectively locking wear member 12 in
place on
base 58. At the same time, lock body 18 is retained in lock recess 16 by
contact between
engagement surface 55 and shoulder 70 of lock recess 16, as shown in Fig. 14.
The
geometry of lock 14 and lock recess 16, and more specifically of lock body 18
and latch
member 22 relative to support 64 and shoulder 70, is such that lock 14 tends
to be self-
binding. The only way for lock 14 to move past both support 64 and shoulder 70
is for
latch member 22 to be counter rotated, so that lock 14 may pivot out of recess
16. Any
pivoting of lock 14 prior to counter rotation of latch member 22 tends to pull
latch member
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
22 farther away from the unlatched position, rather than pushing latch member
22 toward
an unlatched position. This makes lock 14 a particularly reliable lock, even
when
subjected to extreme stresses under loading.
[0075] In a particular embodiment of the invention, the geometries of the
lock 14, and the wear
member 12 are selected so that if force is applied upon lock 14 that would
otherwise urge
the lock out of the wear member 12 (e.g., movement of the wear member 12 under
load,
presence of fines, etc.), the conformation of support 64 will urge the lock 14
forward within
the lock recess, in turn, enhancing the engagement between engagement surface
55 and
shoulder 70. That is, the presence of support 64 functions to contain the lock
14 in the
installed position. Any forward movement of lock 14 (i.e., with slot 62
pulling from
support 64) is resisted by distal face 66 abutting resisting surface 68. Any
outward
movement of lock 14 is resisted by latch member 22, which is in an over-center
position
so as to resist disengagement (see Fig. 16). Slot 62 and support 64 further
cooperate to
resist twisting of lock 14. In the shipping position, lock 14 is also
constrained against
outward movement by ridge 64 being received in slot 62, latch tooth 56 being
against
recess curve 71, and front wall 57 of latch member 22 being pressed against
front wall 59
of lock recess 16. Twisting of lock 14 in this position is resisted by ridge
64 in slot 62,
and the close proximity of the marginal walls of lock recess 16 and lock 14.
In both
positions, the cooperative structures create a situation where the lock 14 is
constrained at
both the proximal and distal ends by the wear member 12 via feature 64 and
shoulder 70,
and any movement of the lock 14 that would decrease interaction with one of
feature 64
and shoulder 70 necessarily enhances the interaction with the other.
[0076] Although lock 14 securely retains wear member 12 in position, even
after extensive use,
the lock 14 may be readily removed, despite the presence of sand, grit, or
other fines within
the latch mechanism or packed around the lock to facilitate removal and
replacement of
wear member 12. Removal of lock 14 is accomplished by first moving tool 30
counter-
clockwise through approximately 75-degrees, as shown in dashed lines in Fig.
15. During
this first phase of motion, actuating member 20 is rotated until tab 32
contacts right stop
35. Such rotation causes cam 36 to force latch member 22 against resilient
body 24 and
simultaneously retract engagement surface 55 and latch tooth 56 inward toward
lock body
16
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
18, as shown in Fig. 16, converting lock 14 from a latched configuration to an
unlatched
configuration.
[0077] Although engagement surface 55 and latch tooth 56 are no longer
securing lock 14 within
lock recess 16, the lock 14 may still resist removal due to the presence of
grit or other fines
that may have accumulated in and around the lock 14. However, by applying
additional
force to tool 30, the entire lock 14 may be pivoted back to the first or
release position
within lock recess 16, as discussed above with respect to Fig. 12, by pivoting
the lock body
18 counter-clockwise about an approximate locking axis of rotation C,
generally defined
by interaction of anchor feature 62 with support 64 (see Figs. 2 and 4 for the
approximate
location of axis C). This second phase of motion results in movement of tool
30
approximately 30-degrees more, as shown in dashed lines in Fig. 10, for a
total rotation of
tool 30, through the two phases, of approximately 105-degrees, along with a
translation of
tool 30. The lock 14 alternatively could be rotated farther and simply removed
from wear
member 12, if desired (at least for wear members with significant wear).
Further,
depending on the strength of the resilient body 24, movement of the lock body
18 may
occur before tab 32 contacts stop 35.
[0078] Returning attention to Fig. 4, it will be noted that locking axis of
rotation C is substantially
displaced from both the actuating axis of rotation A and the latching axis of
rotation B.
Additionally, the precise position of locking axis of rotation C may differ
during
installation of the lock versus removal of the lock, depending on the
particular
configuration of the anchor feature 62, the support 64, or both. The axis of
rotation C may
further move dynamically during the install and/or removal operations. In the
illustrated
example, lock 14 is initially placed at an angle against wear member 12 with
anchor 62
placed partially onto support 64. As the front of lock 14 is swung toward wear
member
12, the inner wall defining the slot of anchor 62 tends to slide along the
inwardly-facing
surface of support 64. When lock 14 is removed, the outer wall defining the
slot of anchor
62, is forced into corner 65 of lock recess 16 to act as a fulcrum for the
outward swinging
of lock 14. The use of a different axis of rotation for installation and
removal facilitates
removal of the lock when impacted fines are present.
[0079] In an alternative embodiment depicted in Fig. 11A, an analogous lock
may be employed
that incorporates the actuating member 51 and latch member 54 of Fig. 9.
17
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
[0080] As discussed previously, latch member 22 may be depressed by
compressing resilient body
24, even when the actuating member 20 is in the latched position. As the lock
is pivoted
into the first position, latch tooth 56 is depressed and slips into the lock
recess while
engagement surface 55 remains on the outside of lock recess 16 as shown in
Fig. 12. With
the lock 14 in the first position, the lock 14 is secured to the wear member
12, as the contact
between latch tooth 56 and recess curb 71 prevents the lock 14 from leaving
the lock recess
16. That is, the lock 14 is prevented from rotating further into the lock
recess 16 by
engagement surface 55 against face 59 of wear member 12, and yet it also is
prevented
from rotating completely out of the lock recess 16 by latch tooth 56. The
first position of
the lock 14 is therefore well-suited for either shipping the wear member with
the integral
lock, or for installation of the wear member with the integral lock.
[0081] As the resilient body 24 of the lock 14 allows movement and return
of latch member 22,
lock 14 may be urged into the first position while in a latched configuration
by pivoting
the latched lock 14 into the first position with an appropriate tool 30, or
for example, by a
carefully placed hammer blow or pry bar motion. Similarly, lock 14 may be
urged from
the first position into a second position with an appropriate tool 30, a
carefully placed
hammer blow, or a pry bar motion. This can be particularly beneficial when a
driving tool
is not readily available, as may happen in the field.
[0082] In one embodiment of the invention, wear assembly 10, which is a
combined wear member
12 and lock 14, may be sold and/or shipped with the lock 14 secured to the
wear member
in the first or shipping position, which prevents the lock 14 from being lost
or misplaced,
and which is readily fully installed by a further rotation of the lock 14 to
depress the latch
member 22 and urge engagement surface 55 past proximal wall 70, and fully
engage the
lock 14 into the second or installed position. The lock 14 could be in the
second position
for shipping and/or storage, but it preferably is maintained in the first
position so that no
adjustment of the lock 14 is needed to place the wear member 12 on the base
58.
[0083] As discussed above for urging lock 14 into the first or shipping
position, the lock 14 may
be urged further into the installed position by an appropriate tool 30, or by
other means.
While lock 14 is preferably combined with wear member 12 prior to shipping,
storage, and
installation of the wear member 12, the lock 14 may alternatively be kept
separate and
only installed after the wear member 12 has been put on a base.
18
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
[0084] As mentioned above, the wear member 12 and lock 14 of the present
invention may be
advantageously shipped together when the lock 14 is in the first position. In
addition, the
design of the lock 14 is fully integrated and requires no special tools. To
remove a wear
member, the construction of the lock 14 allows a first rotational input to
first retract the
latch 22 about a latching axis of rotation B, and further rotational input
transfers the
moment to a different axis of rotation (e.g., axis C) and facilitates lock 14
release and/or
removal. The latch tooth 56 is configured so that it will engage the proximal
wall of the
lock recess and retain the lock 14 in the first or shipping position, as long
as the latch tooth
56 and proximal wall still exist and have not been worn away.
[0085] Figs. 12 and 18 depict wear assembly 10 of Fig. 1 in the first
position, where the latched
lock 14 is partially inserted into the lock recess, so that it is retained by
the front face 57
of latch member 22 and latch tooth 56, while Figs. 19 and 20 show the lock 14
inserted
into the lock recess of the wear member 12 and latched in the installed
position. Fig. 21
shows wear member 12 with lock 14 in the installed position on an example
embodiment
of a base, in the folin of an adapter 72, to form a wear assembly 73. Movement
of the lock
14 (and particularly the lock body 18) with respect to the wear member 12 may
be
facilitated, in at least some examples of this invention, by interaction of
lock body 18
surface 90 (Fig. 3C) with wear member 12 surface 92 (Fig. 1) (e.g., surface 92
of wear
member 12 may support surface 90 of lock body 18 during sliding and rotational
movement of the lock body 18 with respect to wear member 12).
[0086] For purposes of illustration, Fig. 22 shows lock 14 in the second or
installed position in
combination with base 58 and in the absence of wear member 12. In comparison,
Fig. 23
shows lock 14 in the second or installed position in combination with base 58,
with wear
member 12 shown in broken lines. Fig. 24 shows lock 14 in the installed
position in
combination with base 58. Fig. 25 shows a cross-sectional view of the
combination of
lock 14 and wear member 12.
[0087] A single lock 14 is preferably used to secure the wear member to the
base. Nevertheless,
a pair of locks (e.g., one on each side) could be used, which may be
beneficial for larger
components such as intermediate adapters.
19
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
[0088] Figs. 26A through 26H illustrate various views of another example
lock 114 in accordance
with this invention. Similar reference numbers are used in Figs. 26A through
26H as used
in the previous figures to refer to the same or similar features, but in Figs.
26A through
26H, the "100 series" is used (e.g., if a feature with reference number "XX"
is used in
Figs. 1-25, the same or similar feature may be shown in Figs. 26A through 26H
by
reference number "1XX"). The detailed description of these same or similar
features may
be omitted, abbreviated, or at least somewhat shortened in order to avoid
excessive
repetition. The lock 114 of Figs. 26A through 26H operates in a manner similar
to the
lock 14 of Figs. 1 through 25, including the "two-phase" rotational install
and removal
feature, but its structure is somewhat different, as will be described in more
detail below.
[0089] Figs. 26A and 26B show perspective views of the lock 114 in locked
(Fig. 26A) and
unlocked (Fig. 26B) conditions. Fig. 26C is a plan view and Fig. 26D is a side
elevation
view of the lock 114. Fig. 26E shows the actuating member 120 engaged with the
latch
member 122 without the lock body 118 present. Fig. 26F shows a bottom view of
the
actuator member 120, including a view of cam 136 and its flattened side
surface 142. Fig.
26G is an exploded view of the lock 114 showing the various component parts.
Fig. 26H
is a front elevation view of the lock 114.
[0090] One difference between lock 114 of Figs. 26A through 26H and the
lock 14 described
above relates to the structure and arrangement of actuator member 120. Figs. 2
and 4 show
actuating axis of rotation A, latching axis of rotation B, and locking axis of
rotation C of
the lock 14 as being parallel or substantially parallel (e.g., vertical in the
illustrated
orientations). This is not a requirement. Rather, in the lock 114 shown in
Fig. 26D, the
actuator 120 is oriented at an angle with respect to vertical (in the
illustrated orientation)
such that the actuating axis of rotation A is angled with respect to latching
axis of rotation
B and/or locking axis of rotation C. While this angle may take on a variety of
different
values, in some examples of this invention, the angle a between actuating axis
A and
latching axis B will be in a range of 00 to 450 as measured in a plane to
which both axes
are projected (e.g., as shown in Fig. 26D), and in some examples from 2 to 40
, from 5
to 35 , from 8 to 30 , or even from 10 to 30 . Similarly, in this
illustrated example, the
angle between actuating axis A and locking axis C will be in a range of 0 to
45 as
measured in a plane to which both axes are projected (e.g., as shown in Fig.
26D), and in
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
some examples from 2 to 40 , from 50 to 35 , from 8 to 30 , or even from 10
to 30 . In
the example lock 14 of Figs. 1 through 25, the angle a between axes A and B
and axes A
and C was at or about 00. For one specific example of an angled lock according
to this
aspect of the invention, the lock 114 of Figs. 26A through 26H will have an
angle a of
about 150 (e.g., for use with the shroud of Figs. 28A through 28E), and in
another example
structure, the angle a is about 30 (e.g., for the shroud of Figs. 29A through
29F). As
further shown in Fig. 26D, the angle a is oriented so that the axis A extends
away from
and outside the lock 114 (and also in a direction away from a wear member 112
to which
it is attached (see Fig. 27)) as one moves upward from the tool interface area
128.
[0091] Fig.
26D shows a front view of the lock 114 taken from the perspective of a plane
parallel
to axes B and C and parallel with a plane of flattened side surface 142 of cam
136
(described in more detail below). Fig. 26H shows a side view of the lock 114
taken from
a point of view oriented 90 from the point of view of Fig. 26D (i.e., from
the perspective
of a plane parallel to axes B and C and perpendicular to the plane of
flattened side surface
142 of cam 136). From this orientation, actuator axis A is oriented at an
angle y with
respect to axes B and C (which are vertical in this view). While this angle
may take on a
variety of different values, in some examples of this invention, the angle y
between
actuating axis A and latching axis B (and locking axis C) will be in a range
of 0 to 15 as
measured in a plane to which both axes are projected (e.g., as shown in Fig.
26H), and in
some examples from 0.5 to 12 , from 1 to 10 , or even from 1.5 to 8 . In
the example
lock 14 of Figs. 1 through 25, the angle a between axes A and B and axes A and
C from
this point of view is at or about 0 . For some specific examples of an angled
lock according
to this aspect of the invention, the lock 114 of Figs. 26A through 26H will
have an angle
of about 5 . As further shown in Fig. 26H, angle y orients axis A so as to
extend toward
axis C (and also in a direction toward anchor feature 162) and away from axis
B as one
moves upward from tool interface area 128; i.e., the axis for the actuating
member is tilted
outward and backward. This angle 7 feature of axis A helps keep the movement
path of
cam 136 straighter and/or more level with respect to the latch 122 during
rotation of the
lock 114 about actuator axis A as compared to the actuating member just being
tilted
outward.
21
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
100921 Other changes in structure are provided in the lock 114 as compared
to lock 14, e.g., at
least in part to accommodate orienting the actuating axis A at a more
pronounced angle
from the other axes B and C. For example, as best shown in Figs. 26C and 26D,
the top
surface of the lock body 118 includes an angled portion 118A at the area
including the
recess in which the actuator member 120 is inserted (the top surface of lock
body 18 was
flat or substantially flat, e.g., as shown in Figs. 3A and 3C). This feature
highlights some
potential advantages of this example lock structure 114. For example, because
the
actuating axis A extends outward and away from the lock 114 and away from the
wear
member 112 to which it is attached, the axis of the actuator tool 130 also
will extend
outward and away from the lock 114 and away from the wear member 112 when it
is
engaged with the tool interface 128. This angling can provide more room for
the operator
when engaging the tool 130 with the lock 114 and more room for rotating the
tool 130 to
secure or release the wear member 112 from the base 158.
[0093] Also, the angling feature allows some changes to be made to the lock
recess 116 of the
wear member 112. This can be seen, for example, in a comparison of Fig. 1 and
27. In
the example of Fig. 1, the tool 30 engages the tool interface 28 in a
substantially vertical
direction (in the illustrated orientation). Therefore, in this arrangement,
the interior back
wall 16B at the top portion 16A of the lock recess 16 extends more vertically
into the wear
member 12 (or even angled into the interior of the wear member 12) based on
the
orientation shown in Fig. 1 (and thus extends further into the side edge of
the wear member
12 in the side-to-side direction D). In other words, the interior back wall
16B extends in
a direction substantially parallel to a vertical plane running through a
center line of the
wear member 12 (based on the orientation shown in Fig. 1), or even angled
inward toward
the center line of the wear member 12. In some structures, to provide
sufficient tool access,
interior back wall 16B may be angled to extend from 10 -30 into the side of
(and toward
the center line of) the wear member 12.
[0094] By angling a portion of the top surface 118A of the lock body 118,
however, the lock
recess 116 need not extend as deeply into the wear member 112 in the side-to-
side direction
D, as shown by the location of top portion 116A of lock recess 116 in Fig. 27.
Therefore,
in this example structure, the interior back wall 116B at the top portion 116A
of the lock
recess 116 extends in a non-vertical direction (based on the orientation shown
in Fig. 27).
22
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
In other words, the interior back wall 116B extends in an outwardly angled
direction with
respect to a vertical plane running through a center line of the wear member
112 (based on
the orientation shown in Fig. 27) and/or in a direction away from this center
line. This
angle may be within the ranges described for angle a above. This angling of
the tool 130
entry area of the lock recess 116 allows additional wear member material and
thickness to
be provided at the location of the lock, which may lead to longer wear member
life and/or
reduced failures.
[0095] The actuator member 120 angling feature also leads to changes in
other portions of this
example lock 114 structure. Actuator 120 includes tab 132 extending sideways
from a top
surface thereof and a cam 136 extending downward from a bottom surface
thereof. The
cam 136 includes a lower face 137 and a flange 138. While the lower face 137
and the top
surface of flange 138 (which engages the latch 122, as discussed below) may be
parallel
to one another, this is not a requirement. For example, the top surface of
flange 138 may
slope upward toward the top of the actuator 122 as the top surface extends
from its outer
side edge toward its center, e.g., at an angle up to 50, if desired. One side
of the lower face
137 includes a flatten side edge 142 to produce a substantially hemi-circular
shaped lower
face 137. As shown in Figs. 26D and 26E, the cam lower face 137 and the flange
138
upper surface 138A of this example structure 120 may be parallel or
substantially parallel
to a top surface 120A of the actuator (and perpendicular or substantially
perpendicular to
actuating axis A). Therefore, this lower face 137 and upper surface 138A are
oriented at
a non-perpendicular angle with respect to the latching axis B and the locking
axis C.
[0096] Latch member 122 includes changes to various surfaces to accommodate
the structural
changes to actuator member 120. Like latch member 22, latch member 122
includes a
latch tooth 156 and other latching features that operate in the same or a
similar manner to
those of latch member 22 described above. The cam 136 engaging features of
latch
member 122, however, differ somewhat from those of latch member 22. For
example, as
shown in Figs. 26D, 26E, and 26G, the latch member 122 includes a base surface
147, a
side wall 148 (e.g., vertical or substantially vertical) extending from the
base surface 147,
and an upper shelf 149 that extends over the side wall 148 to define a channel
150. The
channel 150 extends from the base surface 147, along wall 148, and terminates
at angled
top wall 151. The angle of the top wall 151 of the channel 150 with respect to
the upper
23
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
shelf 149 (angle (3) (and/or with respect to a plane perpendicular to axis B
and/or C) may
be within the ranges described for angle a above.
[0097] In use, with the actuator 120 in the locked position (e.g., Fig.
26A), the flattened side edge
142 of cam 136 is received within the channel 150 defined in the latch member
122 (and
optionally, the flattened side edge 142 may contact or lie closely adjacent to
the wall 148
in channel 150). In this position, the actuator 120 is held in place with
respect to the lock
body 118 by: (a) contact between the top surface 138A of flange 138 and the
underside of
top wall 151 and/or (b) contact between the top 138A of flange 138 and lip or
overhang
area 118B of lock body 118. The latch mechanism 122 also is held in place with
respect
to lock body 118 (and prevented from sideways ejection therefrom) in this
position by
contact between the side edge 180 of latch mechanism 122 and an overhang
portion 118C
of the lock body 118. When the actuator 120 is rotated to the unlocked
position (e.g., Fig.
26B), the rounded portion 142A of the cam flange 138 rotates into the channel
150
(beneath top wall 151) to push the latch member 122 counterclockwise (when
viewed from
above) and against resilient body 124. A notch 118D in the far right edge of
overhang
portion 118C is provided to allow for initial insertion of the latch member
122 into the
lock body 118 (i.e., to allow clearance for side edge 180 and upper shelf
149).
[0098] Fig. 26G shows additional details regarding the interior of the
recess of the lock body 118
in which the latch member 122 and resilient member 124 are received. More
specifically,
as shown in Fig. 26G, the interior recess of this example structure includes a
support
member 182 for supporting resilient member 124 (which may be formed from a
rubber
material, such as vulcanized rubber). The resilient member 124 may be formed
separately
and engaged with this support member 182, or it may be foimed in place (e.g.,
by
introducing a flowable polymer material into the recess after the actuator
member 120 and
the latch member 122 are in place within the recess and moved to the locked
position (e.g.,
as shown in Fig. 26A) and then having the polymer material harden in place).
In either
manner, the support member 182 helps maintain the resilient member 124 within
the lock
body 118 recess. Opening 124A is shown in Fig. 26G to illustrate where support
member
182 engages resilient member 124. More support members, in different
locations, may be
provided, if desired, without departing from the invention. Alternatively, if
desired,
support member 182 may be omitted (and the resilient member 124 may be held in
place
24
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
by a friction fit, by expanding behind wall ledges, etc.). As another option,
if desired, the
resilient member 124 may be held in place, at least in part, by an adhesive.
[0099]
This lock 114 may be mounted to a wear member 112 (e.g., a point) and/or
locked to a
base member 158 in the same manner as described above for the lock 14. More
specifically, the lock 114 may be mounted to a wear member 112 for shipping,
storage and
installation, and/or engaged with a wear member 112 and a base member 158 in a
locking
manner. Figs. 26A through 26C show an anchor feature 162 on lock body 118 that
may
engage a support like support 64 provided on a wear member 12 in the manner
described
above. The lock body 118 includes features (e.g., bearing surface 166) for
engaging with
corresponding features or bearing on surfaces on wear member 112 and/or base
member
158 in the manner described above. The latch member 122 includes features
(e.g., latch
tooth 156 and various bearing surfaces) for engaging with corresponding
features or
bearing on surfaces on wear member 112 in the manner described above.
[00100] As described above, Fig. 27 illustrates the lock 114 of this example
of the invention
engaged with a point type wear member 112. In use, movement of the lock 114
(and
particularly the lock body 118) with respect to the wear member 112 may be
facilitated, in
at least some examples of this invention, by interaction of lock body 118
surface 190 (Figs.
26G and 26H) with wear member 112 surface 192 (Fig. 27) (e.g., surface 192 of
wear
member 112 may support surface 190 of lock body 118 during sliding and
rotational
movement of the lock body 118 with respect to wear member 112).
[00101] The lock 114 may be used in other environments as well. Figs. 28A and
28B illustrate a
lock 114 of the type described above used in engaging a shroud-type wear
member 212
(also called a "shroud" herein) with a base 258 (such as a lip). Figs. 28C and
28D show
the wear member 212 and the base 258 with the lock 114 omitted, to better
illustrate
various surfaces and features of the lock recess 216 in the wear member 212.
Fig. 28E
shows a bottom view of the shroud 212, to show additional details of the
underside of top
leg 212A and the lock recess 216 provided therein. As shown in these figures,
the lock
recess 216 is provided on an extended portion 212C of top leg 212A that
extends rearward
(and over base member 258) beyond an outer edge 212E of bottom leg 212B.
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
[00102] As shown in Figs. 28A, 28B, and 28D, the front edge of the base 258
(such as a lip) may
be equipped with a boss 260 for engaging a shroud 212 (e.g., typically secured
to the base
member 258 by welding, but may be secured in other manners, if practical and
desired).
In this illustrated example, and as best shown in Figs. 28D and 28E, the
underside of the
extended portion 212C of the top leg 212A includes a recessed channel 264 that
slides over
and around the boss 260. This channel 264 may decrease in side-to-side width
from the
back-to-front direction, as shown by the tapered side walls 264A in Fig. 28E,
but could
also be parallel. If desired, at least the rearmost portion of the recess 264
may be somewhat
wider at its very top than at its center and/or bottom (e.g., with tapered
side walls in the
vertical direction, with protruding rails defined by the side walls, etc.) to
provide a
dovetailing feature for engaging the boss 260. Alternatively, the recess 264
and boss 260
could have complementary T-shapes or other interlocking configurations. Close
clearance
and/or contact between side walls 264A and outside walls 260A of the boss 260
can help
protect the lock 114 and prevent side-to-side movement of the shroud 112 with
respect to
the base member 158.
[00103] As best shown in Fig. 28B, in the locked configuration, surface 166 of
lock 114 engages a
corresponding front bearing surface 262 on the boss 260 of base 258 to prevent
the shroud
212 from pulling away from the front edge 258A of the base 258. These same
surfaces
166 and 262, along with interaction between the anchor feature 162 of the lock
body 118
and the support 164 at the rear wall 216R of the lock recess 216 prevent
horizontal
movement of the lock 114 with respect to the shroud 212 and the base 258. The
anchor
162 may have a rounded recess and the support 164 may have a rounded cross
sectional
shape, e.g., like components 62 and 64 described in more detail above.
Interaction between
the anchor 162 of the lock body 118 and the support 164 at the rear wall 216R
of the lock
recess 216 along with interaction between the latch 122 shoulder 170 and
bearing surface
271 of the shroud 212 prevent ejection of the lock 114 from the lock recess
216 in the
vertical direction (with respect to the orientation shown in Fig. 28B).
[00104] Features of the lock recess 216 will be described in more detail
below. As shown in Figs.
28A and 28C, the side area of the extended portion 212C of the top leg 212A
includes a
cut out entry port or recessed area to allow access for a tool (e.g., tool 30,
130) to rotate
the actuator member 120 of lock 114. Because of the angled orientation of the
actuating
26
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
axis A with respect to the latching axis B and/or the locking axis C as
described above, the
bottom surface 216A of this entry port area may be angled somewhat upward
and/or away
from the top major surface of the base member 258. These angling features can
provide
more room for operation of the tool 130 (i.e., because the tool 130 handle
will be raised
somewhat higher above the surface of base member 258 as compared to the
location of the
handle if the tool extended away from the actuator 120 in a horizontal manner
or in a
direction substantially parallel to the top surface of base member 258). These
angling
features also allow a manufacturer to provide a greater thickness of shroud
material 212M
below the bottom surface 216A of the tool insert port, which can help provide
longer life
and greater resistance to cracking or failure at the lock entry port area.
[00105] The entry port area of this example shroud 212 opens into a lock
receiving opening 270, a
portion of which extends completely through the extended portion 212C of the
top leg
212A. This lock receiving opening 270 allows a portion of the lock 114 to
extend through
the shroud 212 and into position to engage the boss 260 (as shown in Fig.
28B).
[00106] As noted above, the support feature 164 at the rear wall area 216R of
the lock recess 216
may have a rounded cross sectional shape, e.g., like component 64 described in
more detail
above. Although it need not do so, in this illustrated example structure, this
support feature
164 extends across the entire rear width of lock receiving opening 270 and
juts forward
from the rear wall 216R. If desired, the support 164 could be provided across
just a portion
of the rear wall 216R in the side-to-side direction (e.g., a central portion,
a portion offset
to one side or the other, etc.) or the support 164 could be provided at
multiple separated
locations across the back of the lock receiving opening 270. Also, if desired,
the rounded
cross sectional support (e.g., like feature 164) could be provided on the lock
body 118 and
the groove that receives this feature (e.g., like groove 162) could be
provided as part of the
back wall of the lock receiving opening 270.
[00107] The front wall 216F of the lock recess 216 includes a rearward
extending portion 216S
that is flush or contiguous with the top surface of leg 212A, but this
rearward extending
portion 216S is undercut to provide the bearing surface 271 for engaging the
shoulder 170
of latch 122 (e.g., see Fig. 28B). This undercut bearing surface 271 also is
provided for
engaging the latch tooth 156 when the lock 114 is mounted to the shroud 212 in
a first
position, e.g., as described above in conjunction with Fig. 12. The rearward
extending
27
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
portion 216S of the front wall 216F and the undercut area relating to it may
extend any
desired proportion of the width of the lock receiving opening 270, but in this
illustrated
example, these features extend along approximately 25% to 60% of the overall
hole 270
width.
[00108] While Figs. 28A through 28D illustrate a shroud 212 engaged with a
base member 258 via
a welded on (or otherwise attached) boss 260, a separately-formed boss may be
omitted,
if desired. For example, if desired, the top surface of base member 258 could
be fonned
to include surfaces for engaging the lock 114 (e.g., either built up on the
top surface or
recessed into the top surface of base member 258).
[00109] Figs. 29A through 29F illustrate another example shroud type wear
member 312 with
which a lock 114 of the type described above may be used to engage the shroud
312 with
a base member 358 (such as a lip). Figs. 29A and 29B show the wear member 312
and
the base 358 with the lock 114 engaged therein, and Fig. 29C shows various
features of
the lock recess 316 of the shroud 312 in more detail. Fig. 29D is a bottom
perspective
view showing features of the interior of the shroud 312. Figs. 29E and 29F
show features
of engagement of this shroud 312 with a boss 360 mounted (e.g., welded) to a
base member
(e.g., a lip). As shown in these figures, the lock recess 316 is provided on a
top leg 312A
of the shroud 312 (which also includes a bottom leg 312B that extends rearward
about the
same distance as the top leg 312A). The shroud 312 of this example is somewhat
shorter
and more compact in the front-to-rear direction as compared to the shroud 212
of Figs.
28A through 28E described above.
[00110] In this illustrated example structure, the front edge of the base 358
may be equipped with
a boss 360 for engaging a shroud (e.g., secured to the base member 358 by
welding (or
cast as part of the base), but it may be secured in other manners, if
practical and desired,
such as by mechanical connectors). In this illustrated example, and as best
shown in Fig.
29B, the boss 360 is mounted preferably on the ramp portion 358C of the base
member
358. Thus, the boss 360 has an angle at its front (matching the angle of ramp
portion 358C)
such that a rear portion 360A of the boss 360 is welded to the major top
surface 358S of
the base member 358 and a front portion 360B of the boss 360 is welded to the
inclined
ramp surface 3581 at the front of base member 358 (the boss 360 also may be
welded to
the base member 358 along its sides and/or around its entire perimeter). This
angled boss
28
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
360 provides a secure engagement with base member 358 (e.g., partially held by
corner
358C) and allows the shroud 312 to be mounted more forward on the base member
358
(as compared to the boss 260 of Figs. 28A through 28D, which was mounted
solely on the
major, horizontal base surface of base member 258 in the orientation shown in
Fig. 28B).
The boss 360 could be formed as two or more separate pieces or portions.
1001111 As shown in Figs. 29B, 29D, and 29F, the underside of the top leg 312A
of this example
shroud 312 includes a recessed channel 364 that slides over and partially
around the boss
360. The outer edges of recessed channel 364 are defined by side rails or
walls 364R that
join or converge toward the front of the underside of top leg 312A. These
rails 364R define
outer edges of a "bowl" type recessed channel 364 for receiving the forward
portion of the
boss 360. These rails 364R, though, are not intended to generally bear against
the opposing
surfaces on the boss 360. Additionally, the material of the shroud 312 is
thicker outside
these rails 364R (e.g., in areas 312S, toward the sides of the shroud 312).
This thicker
material 312S and rails 364R provide additional strength and improved
durability,
particularly toward the end of the useful life of the shroud 312.
1001121 Further, as shown in Figs. 29D through 29F, the underside of top leg
312A includes two
generally rearwardly extending rails 312R (that taper or converge together in
the front-to-
rear direction, in this illustrated example structure). These rails 312R are
located inside
rails 364R and are located inside and contact the sidewalls 360S of the
opening 380 in the
boss 360. Contact or bearing force between these components 312R and 360S help
prevent
side-to-side motion of the shroud 312 on the base member 358 during use. Also,
the
combination of the rails 312R and the boss 360 (including its engagement
within the
recessed area 364 between outer rails 364R) helps provide improved wear
strength of the
wear member 312 in the area of the lock 114 and isolation of the lock 114 from
uncontrollable, non-centerline loading. This overall construction also helps
protect the
lock 114 from contact with dirt or other materials during use.
1001131 As best shown in Fig. 29B, in the locked configuration, front surface
166 of lock 114
engages a corresponding front bearing surface 362 on the boss 360 to prevent
the shroud
312 from pulling away from the front edge 358A of the base member 358. These
same
surfaces 166 and 362, along with interaction between the anchor feature 162 of
the lock
body 118 and the support 164 at the rear wall 316R of the lock recess 316
prevent
29
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
horizontal movement of the lock 114 with respect to the shroud 312 and the
base member
358. The anchor 162 may have a rounded recess and the support 164 may have a
rounded
cross sectional shape, e.g., like components 62 and 64 described in more
detail above.
Interaction between the anchor feature 162 of the lock body 118 and the
support feature
164 at the rear wall 316R of the lock recess 316 along with interaction
between the latch
122 shoulder 170 and bearing surface 371 of the shroud 312 prevent ejection of
the lock
114 from the lock recess 316 in the vertical direction (with respect to the
orientation shown
in Fig. 29B).
[00114] Features of the lock recess 316 will be described in more detail
below. As shown in Figs.
29A and 29C, the side area of the top leg 312A includes a cut out entry port
or recessed
area to allow access for a tool (e.g., tool 30, 130) to rotate the actuator
member 120 of lock
114. Because of the angled orientation of the actuating axis A with respect to
the latching
axis B and/or the locking axis C as described above, the bottom surface 316A
of this entry
port area may be angled somewhat upward and/or away from the top major surface
358S
of the base member 358. These angling features can provide more room for
operation of
the tool 130 (i.e., because the tool 130 handle will be raised somewhat higher
above the
surface 358S of base member 358 as compared to the location of the handle if
the tool
extended away from the actuator 120 in a horizontal manner or in a direction
substantially
parallel to surface 358S). These angling features also allow a manufacturer to
provide a
greater thickness of shroud material below the bottom surface 316A of the tool
insert port,
which can help provide longer life and greater resistance to cracking or
failure at the lock
entry port area.
[00115] The entry port area of this example shroud 312 opens into a lock
receiving opening 370, a
portion of which extends completely through the top leg 312A. This lock
receiving
opening 370 allows a portion of the lock 114 to extend through the shroud 312
and into
position to engage the boss 360 (e.g., as shown in Figs. 29B and 29D).
[00116] As noted above, the support feature 164 at the rear wall area 316R of
the lock recess 316
may have a rounded cross sectional shape and the anchor 162 forms a partially
rounded
opening for receiving support 164 in a rotatable manner, e.g., like components
62 and 64
described in more detail above. Although it need not do so, in this
illustrated example
structure, this support 164 extends across the entire rear width of lock
receiving opening
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
370 and juts forward from the rear wall 316R. If desired, the support 164
could be
provided across just a portion of the rear wall 316R in the side-to-side
direction (e.g., a
central portion, a portion offset to one side or the other, etc.) or the
support 164 could be
provided at multiple separated locations across the back of the lock receiving
opening 370.
Also, if desired, the rounded cross sectional complementary feature (e.g.,
like support 164)
could be provided on the lock body 118 and the groove that receives this
feature (e.g., like
groove 162) could be provided as part of the back wall of the lock receiving
opening 370.
[00117] The front wall 316F of the lock recess 316 includes a rearward
extending portion 316S
that is flush or contiguous with the top surface of leg 312A, but this
rearward extending
portion 316S is undercut to provide the bearing surface 371 for engaging the
shoulder 170
of latch 122 (e.g., see Fig. 29B). An undercut bearing surface also is
provided under
rearward extending portion 316S for engaging the latch tooth 156 when the lock
114 is
mounted to the shroud 312 in a first position, e.g., as described above in
conjunction with
Fig. 12. The rearward extending portion 316S of the front wall 316F and the
undercut
areas relating to it may extend any desired proportion of the width of the
lock receiving
opening 370, but in this illustrated example, these features extend along
approximately
25% to 60% of the overall hole 370 width.
[00118] While Figs. 29A through 29F illustrate a shroud 312 engaged with a
base member 358 via
a welded on (or otherwise attached) boss 360, a separately-formed boss may be
omitted,
if desired. For example, if desired, the top surface of base member 358 could
be formed
to include a boss with the surfaces for engaging the lock 114 (e.g., either
built up on the
top surface or recessed into the top surface of base member 358).
[00119] As noted above and as is evident from Figs. 29A and 29B, in this
example overall wear
assembly structure, the wear member (i.e., shroud 312) is mounted more toward
and on
the inclined surface 3581 of the base member 358, as least as compared to the
shroud 212
of Figs. 28A through 28E. This feature makes the wear member 312 somewhat more
compact (e.g., shorter in the front-to-back direction as the extended portion
212C of top
leg 212A is omitted), and therefore may be made somewhat lighter. Also, this
feature
makes the shroud 312 somewhat easier to mount on and disengage from a base
member as
compared to shroud 212 because shroud 312 need not be moved over the longer
distances
31
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
needed to slide an extended portion 212C of its top leg around an edge of and
along a base
member.
1001201 The lock 114 according to the invention as described in conjunction
with Figs. 26A
through 29E also has advantages when engaged with a shroud (e.g., 212 or 312)
in that the
lock 114 can typically be operated relatively easily, even in the field (e.g.,
also having the
advantages of lock 14 described above). As some more specific examples, the
lock 114
can be accessed from the sides of the shrouds 212 and 312 as described above
but still
rotated out of the lock recesses 216, 316 from the top (because the lock
recesses 216, 316
remain open at their tops. This arrangement allows for improved access to and
interactions
with the lock, as well as improved fines cleanout (e.g., from the lock recess
area).
1001211 The locks of the present invention possess an integrated lock
mechanism that may be
hammerless and can be installed and removed using standard tools. The
operation of the
lock is simple and straightforward, and requires only minimal human effort,
even in the
presence of fines and other debris. Further, the correct installation of the
locks is readily
visually confirmed, because tab 32, 132 will be to the left or clockwise side
of lock recess
16, 116 when latched, and tab 32, 132 will be to the right or counter-
clockwise side of lock
recess 16, 116 when unlatched.
[00122] As those skilled in the art appreciate, because of the environment in
which they are used,
locks on excavating equipment are exposed to very extreme and harsh
conditions. Over
time, the locks and the recesses in which they are received may become packed
with dirt,
grit, and other material (also called "fines" herein). These fines can become
so tightly
packed in any spaces of locks that it can be difficult to actuate moving parts
of the locks
when it becomes necessary to do so. Wear assemblies according to the examples
of the
invention described above, however, still can move relatively easily, even
after extended
use. The manner in which the latch member 22, 122 and other parts of the locks
14, 114
cooperate or pull away from packed in fines during the unlocking and
unlatching phases
of motion helps assure that the lock 14, 114 can be operated even after
prolonged exposure
to the harsh environment.
1001231 It should be appreciated that although the embodiments of the
representative latch
mechanism disclosed herein utilize three components, a greater or lesser
number of
32
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
components may be readily envisioned that are similarly suitable for forming a
latch
mechanism of the present invention. Although multi-component latch mechanisms
may
facilitate assembly of the lock during manufacture, fewer lock components may
be used
to simplify design and reduce the complexity of the lock. For example, the
individual
actuating member and latch member may be replace by a single lock component
that serves
as both actuating member and latch member. As another example, other biasing
means
may be provided in place of the resilient member.
[00124] It is believed that the disclosure set forth herein encompasses
multiple distinct inventions
with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in
its prefen-ed
form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are
not to be
considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. Each
example defines
an embodiment disclosed in the foregoing disclosure, but any one example does
not
necessarily encompass all features or combinations that may be eventually
claimed.
Where the description recites "a" or "a first" element or the equivalent
thereof, such
description includes one or more such elements, neither requiring nor
excluding two or
more such elements. Further, ordinal indicators, such as first, second or
third, for identified
elements are used to distinguish between the elements, and do not indicate a
required or
limited number of such elements, and do not indicate a particular position or
order of such
elements unless otherwise specifically stated.
33
Date Regue/Date Received 2023-04-12
